UP to arrange trains for migrants from its borders
THE STATE GOVT HAS DIRECTED THE UPSRTC TO DEPLOY 10,000 BUSES, BESIDES DMS HAVE ALSO BEEN DIRECTED TO ACQUIRE 200 PRIVATE BUSES TO FERRY THE MIGRANT WORKERS ACROSS THE STATE
LUCKNOW: In view of arrival of thousands of migrant workers on its borders, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday decided to arrange trains from railway stations in Jhansi, Mahoba, Agra, Mathura, Prayagraj, Ghaziabad, Noida and Saharanpur to ferry the migrants to their destinations.
Addressing a press conference, additional chief secretary, home, Awanish Kumar Awasthi said a large number of migrant workers have arrived in the border districts of the state. While some have come walking, others came on bicycles, trucks and other vehicles, he said.
He said chief minister Yogi
Adityanath has directed the district administration and police officers to behave decently with the migrants and provide them food, water and arrange vehicles for their safe journey home. Yogi has said the state government is making all efforts to bring back migrant workers safely.
The state government has also directed the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) to deploy 10,000 buses to ferry the migrant workers across the state.
The district magistrates have been directed to acquire 200 private buses to ferry the migrants to their home districts and the revenue department will make payment for the buses.
The DMs have been directed to arrange masks, sanitizer and hand gloves for the drivers, Awasthi said.
The government has also decided to run 11 trains daily from Delhi to various destinations in Uttar Pradesh. It has also requested the railway ministry to run shuttle trains between Ghaziabad and Bareilly and Kanpur and Varanasi via Prayagraj, Awasthi said.
The government is ferrying migrant workers from various states by ‘Shramik Special’ trains and till Saturday 6.65 lakh migrants have been brought back by 522 trains.
On Sunday, 87 trains with migrants arrived and the state government has urged the railways to run 250 additional trains to ferry migrants from various states to Uttar Pradesh, Awasthi said.
The matter of running MEMU trains in the state is being discussed with the railway ministry and once approved, it will provide relief to lakhs of people, he said.